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medium (5-oz.) ramekins and lay plastic wrap over each one to submerge the bread during the soaking. Serves eight to ten. 2 Tbs. unsalted butter; plus 2 tsp. softened butter for baking pan 1 lb. focaccia or other open-textured, rustic-style bread, cut into %-inch cubes and dried overnight 3 cups milk 1 cup heavy cream % cup plus 2 Tbs. sugar Pinch salt % % tsp. ground cinnamon tsp. grated nutmeg 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 2V2 tsp. vanilla extract 6 large eggs plus 2 yolks, at room temperature FOR THE TOPPING: Va cup raisins 1 % Tbs. sugar Scant % tsp. ground cinnamon Scant % tsp. grated nutmeg 1 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut in small pieces Butter a 9x1 3-inch shallow baking dish (with handles, if possible) with the 2 tsp. softened butter. In a large skillet, melt 1 Tbs. of the saucepan. Stir in the butter. Add half the bread cubes and saute on medium to medium-high heat until the corners are barely golden, about 2 min. Dump the cubes into the buttered baking pan. Repeat with the remaining 1 Tbs. butter and the rest of the bread. Pour the milk and cream into a medium cup plus 2 Tbs. sugar, the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla bean, if using. Heat over medium high, stirring once or twice until the sugar dissolves and the milk is hot. Remove from the heat. If using vanilla extract, stir it in now. If using a vanilla bean, cover the saucepan and let steep for 10 min. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 112 the eggs and yolks. When the milk is ready, remove the vanilla bean, if using, scrape out the seeds, and stir them into the milk. Slowly pour about hot milk mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly. Gradually whisk in another cup, and then the remaining more 112 quickly. With a rubber spatula, scrape any vanilla seeds from the saucepan into the custard. Pour the custard over the bread, push- 112 ing down the cubes to moisten them all. Lay plastic wrap directly on the pudding and let sit, pressing on the plastic fre- APRIL/MAY 2002 cup of the quently to submerge the top layer, until the bread is thoroughly soaked, 30 to 35 min. While the bread soaks, adjust an oven rack to the center position. Set a roasting pan, large enough to comfortably hold the pudding, on the rack. Pour in hot water to come one-quarter of the way up the sides. Heat the oven to 350°F. Remove the plastic wrap from the pud- ding. To make the topping, sprinkle on the raisins and press them partly into the pudding. In a small bowl, mix the sugar with the cinnamon and nutmeg and sprinkle this evenly over the top. Dot the pudding with 1 Tbs. butter. Set the pudding in the roasting pan; if the hot water doesn't come halfway up the sides, add more until it does. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 min. Remove from the water bath. Serve warm. Leslie Revsin is a chef and cookbook author. She lives in Bronxville, New York. • 73